Laundry machine with safety balancing mechanism



March 7, 1967 v. c. MANDARINO ETAL 3,307,424

LAUNDRY MACHINE WITH SAFETY BALANCING MECHANISM 35heegs-Sheet 1 FiledMay 6, 1964 March 7 v. c. MANDARINO ET-AL 3,307,424

LAUNDRY MACHINE wmx SAFETY BALANCING MECHANISM Filed May'6, 1964 I 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORE' 14. 3119472761 4% M mils March 1967" v. c.MANDARINO ETAL 3,307,424

LAUNDRY MACHINE WITH SAFETY BALANCING MECHANISM 7 Filed May 6, 1 964 3Sheets-Sheet s 55- a I i 4/ '1 34 29 59 h v L! 52 AW I A EH3! L W 30- 4p.55 v 7 AZ V A j 7 3 Q INVENTORS 7 Vz/zcerz C Magda/"02o v Z R ZH.5re0fi6r BY I I l W r I 3,307,424 LAUNDRY MACHINE WITH SAFETYBALANCING MECHANISM Vincent C. Mandarino and Robert A. Brenner, St.Joseph, Miclr, assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich,a corporation of Delaware Filed May 6, 1964, Ser. No. 365,454 19 Claims.(Cl. 74-573) The present invention relates to laundry apparatus and moreparticularly concerns improvements in the balancing mechanism forwasher-dryers.

In Washer-dryers of the horizontal axis drum type, it is desirable tohave the rotative cylinder speed during extraction as high aspracticable. However, any unbalanced condition in the load within thedrum causes serious vibration conditions. Means for overcoming any suchimbalance and vibration have been disclosed and claimed in theapplication of Albert D. Ishoy and William F. Scott, Serial No. 128,070filed July 31, 1961, now Patent No. 3,151,067 and assigned to the sameassignee as the present application. In that application control meansare provided operatively connected between the rotative drum or basketmounting means and the support means of the machine including arelatively thin leaf spring member which is alternately placed intension and compression to control water balancing and clutch controlfunctions. With that arrangement, however, careful installationadjustment is require-d in order to assure proper operation. In otherwords, the linkage afforded by the leaf spring must be properly adjustedfor the particular installation, rather than be preadjusted at thefactory.

According to the objects of the present invention, new andimproved meansare provided in balancing mechanism for washer-dryers, wherein theconnection between the drum or basket mounting means subject tounbalanced vibration and the relatively stationary machine support orframe is effected in a manner enabling full assembly and adjustment atthe factory and which is free from liability of damage in the event ofexcessive shock or imbalance tending to overthrow oscillations of thedrum.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel safety mechanism inbalancing mechanism for washerdryer combinations.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improvedself-centering means constructed and arranged to prevent excessive,damaging motion to the balancing mechanism of a washer-dryercombination.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel motiontransmission means in balance mechanism of a laundry machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel slip-outclutch device in the motion sensing linkage of balance mechanism forlaundry machines.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a laundry machine of thewasher-dryer type embodying principles of the present invention, butwith the outer cabinet removed and with parts broken away, and partiallyschematic;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic representation of certain hydraulic circuitryincorporated in the illustrated machine;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view disclosing inbetter detail the sensing mechanism for controlling the loadcounterbalancing means and transmission speed ratio means of the machineand em- United States Patent 3,307,424 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 bodying thenew and improved device of this invention for preventing excessive,damaging motion to the balancing means of the sensing mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken onsubstantially the line IVIV of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the sensingmechanism shown in FIGURE 3 on a smaller scale;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view takensubstantially along the line VI-VI of FIG- URE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional detail view takensubstantially along the line VII VII of FIGURE 3.

In FIGURE 1 is depicted a representative domestic laundry appliance inthe form of a combination washerdryer 5 including a substantiallylirnperforate casing 7 having attached to its front wall as by means ofwelding or the like a supporting plate 8 secured as by means of screws 9to a bracket plate 10 attached fixedly to a base frame 11 of a housing12 supported by front legs 13 and :a rear leg 14 and adapted, as is wellknown, to be adjusted for levelling the machine in service. Suitablesupporting bracket structure also connects the rear portion of thecasing 7 to the base frame 11.

Within the casing 7 is rotatably mounted on a frontto-rear horizontalaxis a perforate drum or cylinder 15, also sometimes referred to as arotary basket, for receiving fabrics to be washed and centrifugallydried. In its front wall the drum 15 has a central opening 17 whichregisters with a suitable access opening in the casing 7 adapted to beclosed by an openable closure or door (not shown). In its rear wall, thedrum 15 is provided with angularly spaced reinforcing ribs 18 radiatingfrom a hub 19 from which extends rearwardly a shaft 20 suitablyjournalled in a supporting bearing assembly of any preferredconstruction. Driving of the drum 15 rotatably is effected in anypreferred or known manner as motivated by a prime mover comprising anelectrical motor 21 under the control of any preferred cycling controlsystem, as is known in this art. In such a system, the machine isoperated through a program including washing, rinsing, extracting anddrying periods.

In the bottom of the casing 7 is a sump 22 (FIG. 2) for receiving fluidsin the washing, rinsing and extraction operations of the machine cycle.Communicating with the sump is a pump 23 delivering to a two-way valve24 for directing fluid either to drain or a second two-way valve 25. Thelatter valve may direct washing fluid through a conduit 27 in arecirculating cycle to the drum 15 by way of a recirculation nozzle (notshown). The valve 25 may also selectively direct fluid through a conduit28 having its discharge end portion (FIGS. 1 and 3) attached to abracket plate 29 mounted on the outer side of the front wall of the tankcasing 7 over an opening 30 therein and secured thereto as by means ofscrews 31 and expansion nuts 32, with a gasket 33 providing a liquidtight seal between the casing wall and the bracket member (FIG. 4).

On the bracket plate 29, the conduit 28 terminates in a nozzle portion34 (FIGS. 3 and 6) which discharges through a port 35 at the inner sideof the bracket plate and through the opening 30 to direct liquid througha limited size opening 36 in a splash and deflector plate 37 mounted onthe inner side of the front wall of the tank casing 7 in alignment withthe opening 30 and between the tank front wall and the adjacent frontwall of the basket drum 15. This liquid delivered through the splashplate opening 36 is utilized for balancing the drum 15 and for thispurpose is received in respective collector segments 38 of which thereare in the present instance three of equal size mounted on the frontwall of the drum and each of which has associated therewith recess meansin the form of a liqu-id-receiving balancing receptacle 39 mounted onthe perimeter of the drum. Through this arrangement, when balancing isrequired as when there is an unbalanced load in the rotating dru=m 15,liquid delivered by the conduit 28 through the nozzle 34 and directedinto the appropriate balancing receptacle 39 will effect substantialbalancing of the drum. This is especially desirable during the fluidextraction portion of the machine cycle.

In order to control the introduction of balancing liquid into thebalancing receptacles 39, there is utilized as a controlling variable,vibratory movements of the basket drum 15 and the tank casing 7generated by rotation of acentric loads in the drum and relative to thebase frame 11', as permitted by the means mounting the casing 7. To thisend, a water diverter flag, stream interrupter or deflector member plate40 is mounted between the nozzle orifice 35 and the opening 36 fornormally deflecting all liquid issuing from the orifice 35 away from theopening 36 and toward the imperforate portion of the deflector plate 37or downwardly toward the sump 22 unless there is a demand for balancingliquid automatically called for in response to vibrations of the rotarybasket and the tank casing 7.

In order to translate the relatively small allowable loadimposedvibratory oscillations of the casing 7 on the order of about 0.010 inchfrom a normal centered position relative to a stationary upright framemember 41, the deflector comprises a plate member of substantial lengthwith a free end portion in controlling relation to the port 35 and anopposite end portion secured as by means of a screw 42 (FIG. 4) to oneend of a spindle shaft 43 journalled by means such as needle bearings 44through a hub 45 on the bracket plate 29. Suitable sealing meansincluding a washer 4-7 and a fluid seal 48 are provided about the shaft43 at the inner end of the hub 45 and a liner bushing 49.

Side-to-side oscillatory vibrations of the tank casing 7, due toacentric loads in the rotating drum 15 supporta'bly mounted within thecasing, are translated into corresponding rotary or pivotal oscillationsof the shaft 43, and by having the liquid diverter flag 40 of suitablesubstantial predetermined length relatively low amplitude pivotalmovements of the shaft 43 will be reflected in substantially wider arcrocking or oscillations of the free end portion of the flag member forappropriate intervals of unblockin g the nozzle orifice 35 to directbalancing liquid through the aperture 36 into the proper collectorsegment 38 for loading the balancing receptacle 39 generally oppositethe unbalancin-g load. For this purpose, the outer end portion of theshaft 43 provides a motion transmission coupling 50 with a link arm 51serving as a reaction member and mounted on the upstanding, stationarypylon-like frame member 4-1. The construction and relationship are suchthat as the mounting housing plate member 29 oscillates with the tankcasing 7, the coupling arm held against such oscillation through itsmounting on the stationary frame member 41 causes the balance liquidcontrol flag shaft 43 to be pivotally oscillated on its axis.

In a convenient arrangement, the pylon frame member 41 may beconstructed as a suitably reinforced elongated plate having its lowerend portion secured as by means of screws 52 to the supporting baseframe 11, with a lanced and struck-out lapping stabilizer flange 53(FIGS. 1, 3 and 7) of the plate member gripping the contiguous baseframe bar. On its head end portion, which is suitably disposed in spacedrelation to the mounting plate 29, means are provided for pivotallymounting the coupling arm 51. Herein such means comprise an adjustmentlever arm 54 attached intermediately on a pivot 55 to the head endportion of the frame member 41 to extend generally in an up and downdirection. Attachment of the coupling, reaction arm 51 is to the upperend portion of the lever arm 54 to extend across the gap between thehead end of the pylon frame member 41 and and the plate 29 and with thefree end portion of the rigid reaction link arm 51 disposed in coupledrelation to the shaft 43. Normally, biasing means convenientlycomprising a torsion spring 57 engaging between the lever arm 54 and thelink arm 51 urges the link arm yieldably but firmly toward the couplingengagement with the shaft.

For effecting longitudinal adjustments of the link arm 51 relative tothe balancing shaft 43, the lever arm 54 is adjustably movable about itsintermediate pivot 55. Means for securing the lever arm in adjustedposition comprise suitable screw means such as a thumb screw 58 which isaccommodated for adjustment purposes through an arcuate slot 59 is theframe member 41 adjacent to the lower end portion of the arm 54. Limitupon the range of adjustment movement, and safety stop means areprovided by extending the upper end extremity portion of the lever arm54 through a slot 60 of predetermined length transversely in the headextremity portion of the frame member 41. Stops are thus provided at theopposite ends of the slot 60 providing limit of adjustment range andalso preventing escape of the lever arm should the adjustment settingscrew 58 come loose.

According to the present invention, the motion transmission means 51comprises a projection and notch coupling relationship between the shaft43 and the coupling link arm 51. In a simple, advantageous form, thiscomprises a lug nib projection 61 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5) extendinglaterally from the free end portion of the arm 51 and mating in alongitudinally extending and radially opening complementary socketrecess notch -62 in the adjacent outer end portion of the shaft 4-3which for this purpose is provided as a reduced diameter terminal-endintegral extension 63 of the shaft. Through this arrangement, since therigid link arm 51 is held against reciprocations by virtue of itsmounting on the stationary pylon frame member 41, when the transmissionmeans 50 is caused to move in a generally horizontally orientedoscillatory path with the oscillations of the drum 15 and tank 7, theshaft 43 will be caused to oscillate pivotally as effected by thecoupling afforded through engagement of the clutch tooth, nib projection61 in the notch 62 of the shaft terminal portion 63. Thereby, swingingof the balancing liquid diverter flag 40 is effected.

Inasmuch as oscillatory movement of the tank casing 7 toward the left asviewed in FIGURES 1, 3 and 5 is caused by the unbalanced load being atthe left at that moment in the revolution of the drum 15, while thebalancing device is mounted on the right-hand side of the the tankcasing, the arrangement is such that swinging of the diverter fiag 40 touncover the balancing liquid delivery nozzle 35 occurs only during suchleft-hand oscillatory motion, that is, motion away from the stationarypylon frame member 41 wherein the transmission nib 61 causes the shaft43 to rotate counterclockwise and swing the flag 40 toward non-blockingrelation to the nozzle orifice 35 indicated in a dot-dash lines inFIGURE 5. Reverse action is effected in the balancing control mechanismduring oscillating movements of the tank casing 7 toward the right, thatis toward the stationary pylon frame member 41, as indicated in dashlines in FIGURE 5. The width and relation of the diverter flag 40 to thenozzle orifice 35 are such that although the flange 40 is swungclockwise during right-hand oscillating movement of the tank casing, theflag will remain in blocking, diverting relation to the orifice. As aresult, balancing liquid is, in effect, squirted as a stream into thebalancing receptacle or receptacles 39 generally opposite to theacentric load in each revolution of the drum 15 during which theunbalanced relationship persists and until a substantially balancedcondition has been attained. Normal slight side-to-side vibrations donot effect sufficient swinging movement of the diverter flag 40 topermit escape of balancing liquid there past into the balancing systemof the drum, although the balancing mechanism does permit suflicientlyclose adjustment to attain highly etficient balancing.

A substantial advantage accruing from the structure of the balancingmechanism control means of the present invention resides in that benchadjustment of the balancing mechanism can be effected at the factory andwith generally no need for further adjustment or any servicing of thebalancing mechanism when installed for service, although if any suchservicing is required, it can be effected quite easily and simply. Inthis respect, when an optimum adjustment of the diverter flag 40relative to the nozzle orifice 35 has been determined, with thetransmisison nib 61 freely and accurately meshing or registering in thesocket notch 62, as can easily and quickly be accomplished throughpivotal adjustment of the lever arm 54, tightening of the retainingscrew 58 sets the control and transmission mechanism.

As a safety measure to prevent overtravel of the diverter flag 40 and toavoid damage to the balancing mechanism due to excessive motion of thetank 7 relative to the stationary pylon frame 41 when the machine isbeing transported or moved or due to unusually heavily unbalancedloading of the rotating drum 15, or for any other reason, limit stopmeans are provided to constrain the balancing shaft 43 to apredetermined range of pivotal oscillatory motion. To this end, a limitfinger 64 extends radially from the outer end portion of the shaft 43and normally has its free end portion disposed medially between a pairof spaced rigid stops 65 mounted on or comprising a part of the housingor mounting plate 29. These stops 65 are spaced from the median positionof the limit finger 64 to determine and limit swinging movements of thefingers 64 to a safe range of oscillation of the shaft 43, and therebyprevent overtravelling and subsequent damage to diverter flag 40.

Although, if preferred, the limit finger 64 may be constructed as amolded or cast or forged part of the shaft 43, a convenient constructioncomprises fixed attachment of a hub 67 on the proximal end portion ofthe finger on a stepped portion 68 of the balancing mechanism shaft 43between the main body of the shaft and the outer extremity transmissionterminal portion 63 thereof.

In order to avoid damaging stresses on the sensing and motiontransmission structure of the balancing mechanism should the limitfinger 64 strike either of the stops 65 with any appreciable impact, asduring oscillatory overtravel of the tank 7, an overload clutchrelationship is afforded in the transmission means 50 and moreparticularly in respect to the coupling afforded by the projection andnotch means 61, 62. Accordingly, the projection nib 61 is of a generallyrounded contour, as evident in FIGURES 3 and 5, and the notch 62 isdesirably of a generally V-shaped cross-section. Further, the free endportion of the reaction link arm member 51 extends a substantialdistance beyond the coupling lug projection nib 61. Since the arm 51 isfirmly resiliently yieldably biased toward the coupling extension 63, acoupled relationship of the nib 61 in the socket groove 62 is normallyassured whereby the balancing shaft 43 is oscillatably driven by thereaction link arm 51 throughout the range permitted by the limit finger64 and the stops '65. However, should there be any tendency of thereaction link arm 51 to overtravel at either limit of swinging movementof the limit finger 64, such as might be caused by an excessive loadimbalance in the rotating drum and thus overtravelling, oscillatorymovement of the tank casing 7, or a more or less violent, jarring orshock induced overtravel during transportation or movement of themachine as a whole, the coupling nib projection 61 can leave the notch62 in the manner of a slip-out or throw-out clutch, affording a safetydisconnect. In the reactionary, reverse relative movement, the clutchtooth 61 snaps back into its clutch socket 62 to resume the balancingshaft drive coupling relations-hip. Hence, there is automaticreestablishment of the predetermined or zero adjustment of the balancemechanism after any safety declutching and reclutching action.

Such automatic reclutching is facilitated by means functioning normallyto return the balancing mechanism to a zero or neutral position. In adesirable form such means comprise a cam arm 69 provided as a radialrigid extension from the hub 67 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 On its free end, thecam arm extension 69 has a pair of equal spaced cam lobes 70 affording anotch therebetween within which is nestably engaged a follower roller 71mounted intermediately on a lever plate 72 having a pivotal connection73 adjacent one end thereof with the mounting plate 29 and carrying onits opposite end portion a valve actuating flange '74. A biasing tensionspring 75, anchored at one end to the mounting plate 29 and at itsopposite end engaging the actuating flange 74, normally biases therockably mounted follower lever 72 toward the cam 69 and moreparticularly urges the follower roller 71 into.the bight between the camlobes 70. This functions normally to center the cam 69 in the zero orneutral adjusted position of the limit finger 64 and thereby of thediverter flag 40.

Another function of the centering lever 72 is as a valve controllingmeans for a pneumatic speed control for the transmission associated withthe motor 21 in the driving connection thereof with the rotary drum 15.For this purpose, a valve stem 77 of a normally closed bleed-off valveassembly 78 attached to the mounting plate 29 as by means of a clamp 79underlies the valve actuating flange 74. During definite acentric loaddeflections of the casing 7 to each side of a vertical center linethrough the machine, resulting in an amplitude of oscillation of the cam'arm 69 to cause the respective cam lobes 70 to act on the follower 71to depress the lever arm 72, the valve stem 77 is depressed to open thevalve 78. This results in bleeding a conduit 80 (FIGS. 1, 3 and '5)leading from a solenoid air valve 81 communicating by way of a conduit82 with pneumatic clutch means forming part of the transmission 83associated with the electrical motor 21. The air valve 81 alsocommunicates by way of a conduit 84 with a compressor 85. As more fullydescribed in the copending application of Ishoy and Scott, Serial No.128,070, referred to hereinabove, this regulates the supply of pressureto the clutch means of the transmission 83 and thereby limits rotationof the basket drum 15 to those speeds which produce only minimal basketvibrations at a predetermined amplitude, and concurrently with balancingthe drum. Minor vibrations of the tank casing 7 will not, of course,cause such swinging of the cam arm 69 as will motivate the lever arm 72and thereby the valve actuating flange 74 to open the bleed valve 78.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by the present inventionthere has been provided a substantially improved compensator forbalancing mechanism for combination washer-dryers wherein the automaticsafety release and self-recoupling transmission and clutch means in thebalancing control mechanism enables prime factory adjustment of thebalancing mechanism. Thereafter, the mechanism automatically maintainsor resumes its optimum operating condition.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in theart, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope ofthe patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably andproperly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Laundry apparatus including a rotary basket drum and means mountingthe drum on a support providing for limited oscillating deflections ofthe drum relative to the support toward opposite sides of a center linetransversely though the axis of rotation of the drum in response toacentric loads in the rotating drum,

means for counterbalancing the acentric loads mounted to oscillate withthe drum,

means for automatically controlling the balancing means, comprising ashaft mounted to oscillate about its own axis and also to oscillate withthe acentric loading oscillations of the drum, and a rigid membermounted on a stationary portion of saidsupport,

and projection and notch coupling means connecting the shaft and rigidmember to effect oscillations of the shaft about its own axis duringoscillation movements of the shaft with the drum.

2. In a laundry machine including a stationary support and a rotary drummounted in a tank casing mounted on said support in a manner to permitlimited oscillations of the casing responsive to acentric loads in therotating drum,

means for balancing the drum comprising a balancing water controllingmember carried by a shaft pivotally mounted on said casing and providedwith a coupling part, and means for controlling pivotal movements ofsaid shaft responsive to oscillations of the drum and casing comprisinga rigid member pivotally attached to said support having an articulatedmotion transmission connection with said coupling part. 3. In a laundrymachine including a stationary support and a rotary drum mounted in atank casing mounted on said support in a manner to permit limitedoscillations of the casing responsive to acentric loads in the rotatingdrum,

means for balancing the drum comprising a balancing water cont-rollingmember carried by a shaft pivotally mounted on said casing and providedwith a coupling part,

means for controlling pivotal movements of said shaft responsive tooscillations of the drum and easing comprising a rigid member attachedto said support having an articulated motion transmission connectionwith said coupling part,

and means mounting said rigid member against longitudinal movementthereof relative to said support but enabling yieldable pivotal movementof the rigid member.

4. In a laundry machine including a stationary support and a rotary drummounted in a tank casing mounted on said support in a manner to permitlimited oscillations of the casing responsive to acentric loads in therotating drum,

means for balancing the drum comprising a balancing water controllingmember carried by a shaft pivotally mounted on said casing and providedwith a coupling part,

means for controlling pivotal movements of said shaft responsive tooscillations of the drum and casing comprising a rigid member attachedto said support having an articulated motion transmission connectionwith said coupling part,

means mounting said rigid member against longitudinal movement thereofrelative to said support but enabling yieldable pivotal movement of therigid member,

and biasing spring means normally biasing the rigid member toward saidcoupling part.

5. In a laundry machine including a stationary support and a rotarybasket drum for receiving fabrics to be treated,

means mounting the rotary drum on the support to accommodate oscillatingdeflections of the drum as produced by rotation of acentric loads in thedrum, means for driving the drum rotatably,

means for balancing the drum comprising mechanism mountedto oscillatewith the drum and including a pivoted member, means for limiting pivotalmovement of the pivoted -member,

a member mounted on said support,

and motion transmission means connecting said members including anovertravel clutch.

6. In a laundry machine including a stationary support and a rotarybasket drum for receiving fabrics to be treated,

means mounting the rotary drum on the support to accommodate oscillatingdeflections of the drum as produced by rotation of acentric loads in thedrum, means for driving the'drum rotatably,

means for balancing the drum comprising mechanism mounted to oscillatewith the drum and including a pivoted member,

means for limiting pivotal 'movement of the pivoted member,

a rigid member mounted on said stationary support,

transmission means connecting said members including an overtravelclutch,

and means for controlling the speed of rotation of said drumconcurrently with balancing of the drum including a control elementcarried by said pivoted member.

7. In a laundry machine including a rotary basket mounted on astationary support and drive means for rotatably actuating the basket,

means mounting the basket on the support to accommodate limitedoscillatory movements of the basket as produced by the rotation ofacentric loads in the basket,

means for counterbalancing the basket including mechanism'mounted onsaid mounting means and comprising a pivoted member having means forlimiting pivotal movement to a predetermined range,

an arm mounted on said support projecting into adjacent relation to saidpivoted member but held against oscillation with the mounting means, and

motion transmission means comprising an overtravel clutch coupling saidpivoted member with said arm for effecting pivotal movements of thepivoted member when said mounting means moves oscillatably with thebasket.

8. A laundry machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said motiontransmission means includes a clutch socket recess on a portion of saidpivoted member and said arm has a l-ug nib portion meshing with saidsocket recess.

9. A laundry machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said overtravelclutch comprises projection and notch means on said pivoted member andsaid arm.

10. A laundry machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said pivotal motionlimiting means comprises a limit finger fixed on the pivoted member andstop means rigid with respect to said mounting means and limiting theswinging movements of the finger with the pivoted member.

11. A laundry machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the mounting forsaid arm on said support comprises means for adjusting the armlongitudinally relative to said pivoted member.

12. A laundry machine as defined in claim 7, including means fornormally defining a neutral position of said pivoted member.

13. For use in a laundry machine,

balancing mechanism including a mounting plate,

a shaft pivotally mounted through said plate and carrying a flag memberon one end, a stop finger mounted on the opposite end of the shaft, stopmeans on said plate limiting swinging movement of the stop finger withpivoting of the shaft, and

transmission means for connecting the shaft to means for pivoting theshaft and including an overtravel cl tch.

14. For use in a laundry machine,

balancing mechanism including a mounting plate,

a shaft pivotally mounted through said plate and carrying a flag memberon one end,

a stop finger mounted on the opposite end of the shaft,

stop means on said plate limiting swinging movement of the stop fingerwith pivoting of the shaft, and

an overtravel clutch transmission device on the other end of said shaftincluding a clutch structure adapted to be coupled with a reactionmember.

15. Balancing mechanism for laundry apparatus which includes a rotarydrum subject to vibratory movements resulting from rotation of acentricloads and equipped With balancing water receptacles,

means for directing balancing water into the receptacles,

means for controlling delivery of balancing water to the receptacles,means including a pivoted member for controlling said controlling means,

said pivoted member including a limit finger swingable in an arc withpivotal movements of the pivoted member,

means for pivoting the pivoted member responsive to vibratory movementsof the drum requiring balancing, and

means comprising spaced stops to limit swinging movements of the limitfinger and thus the amplitude of pivotal movements of said pivotedmember.

16. Balancing mechanism for laundry apparatus which includes a rotarydrum subject to vibratory movements resulting from rotation of acentricloads and equipped with balancing water receptacles,

means for directing balancing Water into the receptacles,

means for controlling delivery of balancing water to the receptacles,

means including a pivoted member for controlling said controlling means,

said pivoted member including a limit finger swingable in an arc withpivotal movements of the pivoted member, means for pivoting the pivotedmember responsive to vibratory movements of the drum requiring balanc-8,

means comprising spaced stops to limit swinging movements of the limitfinger and thus the amplitude of pivotal movements of said pivotedmember,

cam means on the pivoted member comprising spaced lobes, and

a follower member including means for yieldably biasing the followermember between said lobes for yieldably centering said limit fingerbetween said spaced stops.

17. Laundry apparatus comprising a rotary basket for receiving fabricsto be washed and centrifugally dried and support means therefor anddrive means for the basket,

means mounting said basket on said support means to accommodatevibratory movements of said basket as produced by the rotation ofacentric loads in said basket,

transmission means for said drive means including fluid pressurecontrolling means and a source of fluid pressure,

conduit means interconnecting said source of fluid pressure with thetransmission control means,

valve means in said conduit means,

valve actuator means connected to said basket mounting means, a movablecam pivotally mounted on said mounting means,

reaction means interconnected between said cam and said support meansfor moving said cam in response to vibratory movements of said basket,

said cam including a plurality of lobes engageable with said valveactuator means for actuating said valve means in response to saidvibrations for regulating the supply of pressure to said transmissioncontrolling means and thereby limiting the rotation of said basket tothose speeds which produce only minimal basket vibrations of apredetermined amplitude,

means for counterbalancing said acentric loads in said basket andoperatively connected to said cam for actuation thereby,

means for limiting the range of operative pivotal movements of the cam,and

overtravel clutch means between said reaction means and said cam.

18. Laundry apparatus comprising a rotary basket for receiving fabricsto be washed and centrifugally dried and support means therefor anddrive means for the basket,

means mounting said basket on said support means to accommodatevibratory movements of said basket as produced by the rotation ofacentric loads in said basket,

transmission means for said drive means including fluid pressurecontrolling means and a source of fluid pressure,

conduit means interconnecting said source of fluid pressure with thetransmission control means,

valve means in said conduit means,

valve actuator means connected to said basket mounting means,

a movable cam pivotally mounted on said mounting means,

reaction means interconnected between said cam and said support meansfor moving said cam in response to vibratory movements of said basket,

said cam including a plurality of lobes engageable with said valveactuator means for actuating said valve means in response to saidvibrations for regulating the supply of pressure to said transmissioncontrolling means and thereby limiting the rotation of said basket tothose speeds which produce only minimal basket vibrations of apredetermined amplitude,

means for limiting the range of pivotal movement of the cam, and

overtravel clutch means between the reaction means and the cam.

19. Laundry apparatus including a rotary basket drum and means mountingthe drum on a support providing for limited oscillating deflections ofthe drum relative to the support toward opposite sides of a center linetransversely through the axis of rotation of the drum in response toacentric loads in the rotating drum,

means for counterbalancing the acentric loads mounted to oscillate withthe drum,

a pylon frame member having a head end portion located in adjacentspaced relation to. said counter-' balancing means,

means for attaching the opposite end portion of the frame member to saidsupport comprising attachment bolts and a struck-out lapping flange onthe frame member engaging the support, and

clutch means operatively connecting said head portion of the framemember with said counterbalancing means to control operations of thecounterbalancing means in accordance with oscillating deflections of thedrum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,554,014 9/1925MacFarland 73468 2,731,887 1/1956 Sjostrand 73468 3,080,059 3/1963 Scottet al. 210-144 3,095,676 7/ 1963 Voller 74--573 FRED C. MATTERN, JR.,Primary Examiner.

W. S. RATLIFF, Assistant Examiner.

1. LAUNDRY APPARATUS INCLUDING A ROTARY BASKET DRUM AND MEANS MOUNTINGTHE DRUM ON A SUPPORT PROVIDING FOR LIMITED OSCILLATING DEFLECTIONS OFTHE DRUM RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORT TOWARD OPPOSITE SIDES OF A CENTER LINETRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE DRUM IN RESPONSE TOACENTRIC LOADS IN THE ROTATING DRUM, MEANS FOR COUNTERBALANCING THEACENTRIC LOADS MOUNTED TO OSCILLATE WITH THE DRUM, MEANS FORAUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE BALANCING MEANS, COMPRISING A SHAFTMOUNTED TO OSCILLATE ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS AND ALSO TO OSCILLATE WITH THEACENTRIC LOADING OSCILLATION OF THE DRUM, AND A RIGID MEMBER MOUNTED ONA STATIONARY PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT, AND PROJECTION AND NOTCH COUPLINGMEANS CONNECTING